I do hope Pete Stark stands his ground and does not apologize

[bluestateguy]

Apologies are a sign of vacillation and weakness, and the Republicans know it. That's why they demand it so often from people on our side, and that's why Republicans so rarely heed to demands to apologize when they make offensive remarks.

Remember the Limbaugh flap over the "phony soldiers" remark? Oh yeah, that. The story went down a rathole and now appears to be drifting into old news obscurity. Limbaugh simply blew off our side's demands to apologize, stood his ground, and the whole thing just kind of went away. Anti-Semite Coulter appears to be doing the same thing after her latest verbal defecation.

On the other hand, people on our side immediately get weak-kneed at soon as the Noise Machine kicks into gear and Fox News begins to express their displeasure. John Kerry, Dick Durbin, all bowed to demands for apologies for offensive remarks that they made...and the Right just kept beating up on them anyway.

Apologies reveal a lack of conviction and a lack of willingness to stand behind a core set of beliefs in the face of opposition. Republicans seem to get this. Our side does not seem to get this.

It will be interesting to see which course of action Pete Stark chooses.

[ClassWarrior]

1. What'd he do?

NGU.

[ClassWarrior]

20. Thanks for the help DUers. I still don't know what the guy did.

NGU.

[fishwax]

23. here ya go

http://www.kcbs.com/Stark-Stands-Behind-GOP-Accusations/1107651

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

24. This man so completely rocks

I love him. I love Fremont, too - wish I lived there and had this man as my representative.

[ClassWarrior]

25. Beautiful. Thanks.

Rep. Stark... :yourock:

NGU.

[EV_Ares]

2. Just saw Bill Press supposedly a Dem saying the remark was totally

uncalled for and he bets Nancy will have him down on the floor apologizing for it so the retreat and "Iam sorry" has already started.

[TSIAS]

14. What a shock!

Bill Press has never been a liberal Democrat. He's cut from the same cloth as Carville and Begala.

[Wickerman]

3. Why should he apologize for a likely true prediction?

I'm not sure that he isn't accurate - though perhaps they take offense to too low of a price tag?

Speaking on the House floor, Stark said, "Under the Republican plan, by
2017, we probably will have killed 20,000 soldiers in Iraq, spending
$200 billion."

Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) rose to protest the remark and asked that Stark's words be taken down, a formal procedure to punish a member of Congress for breaching the House's standards of decorum.

The chair later ruled that Stark's comment did not refer to any specific House member and thus were appropriate.

Earlier in the SCHIP debate, Stark had made other spirited remarks.

“You don't have money to fund the war or children,'' he said. "But you're going to spend it to blow up innocent people if we can get enough kids to grow old enough for you to send to Iraq to get their heads blown off for the president's amusement."

[Faygo Kid]

4. You are right. And so was Pete Stark.

Pete Stark spoke for a lot of Americans today who are sick and tired of having the 30 percent that never wavers in their support of right wing hate shove crap down our throats. Nothing but war and hatred out of that crew, and Stark was right about Bush not even funding health care for poor and near-poor kids so they can at least grow up healthy before they are blown to bits in Bush's wars and those planned by the neocons in the future. Don't apologize, Pete.

[malaise]

5. He did stand his ground -I saw a follow up comment

on MSNBC.

Here's his web site
http://www.house.gov/stark/

[Cha]

18. Thank you,

malaise!

[truebrit71]

21. Not just standing his ground...he took ANOTHER shot at the cowards on the right...

...I hope someone can find it and post it..it truly is a thing of beauty...

[w8liftinglady]

6. I've already written stark asking him to remain strong.

http://www.house.gov/stark/contact/index.htm

[Tinksrival]

9. Thanks for the link

I sent him a message also. I hope everyone here does also.

[eleny]

11. Sent him a note of support earlier

He's a good man for being so brave.

[KAZ]

15. Thanks for the link! Message sent. We need MORE of this! n/t

[RestoreGore]

19. Thank you for this link. Just sent him my thanks. n/t

[The Stranger]

7. HE BETTER NOT DARE APOLOGIZE.

[Boxerfan]

8. Tactically-The WORST thing to do is appologize

I hate it when a truthfull statement such as this gets demigogged. I really hope he stands tall & burns these words into history...

[eleny]

10. Me too

And I refuse to go along with the talking heads - including Keith O. Stark is reading the president spot on. He spoke the truth. Bush is a hungry, soulless ghoul as is the veep. Think "Swamp Rat" images.

No matter what happens - even if he does decide to apologize in the end - the words are there. He validated what many have been thinking to themselves. And Bush has to live with the fact of it being said about him.

Words can't be snatched back. The beauty of these words is that they were said on the floor of the House. The House!

[EV_Ares]

13. What did Keith say; missed him tonight? eom,

[eleny]

27. He didn't disagree with Alter - he just sort of went along

Given Keith's many fine and harsh comments to *, I would have liked to hear him say something at least like he understood Stark's frustration and passion.

[poiuytsister]

12. Rock on, Pete nt

[KAZ]

16. I don't usually agree with you BSG, but this is an excellent post.

K&R from me.

[deminks]

17. He told the truth! Never apologize for the truth!

And by the way, the truth is what the liar fears most, hence the pushback.

I mean what is left as an excuse for the war? The pretzeldente's amusement indeed.

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. I doubt he will

after all he did get into almost a fisticcufs a couple years ago

I still remember watching it on the SPAN... they wanted him OUT so they could vote

The rest of the DEMS were outside the chamber...

One of them really cute fascist moments we've seen

[cherokeeprogressive]

26. I am SO going to get flamed for this...

I'm a Veteran. A VOLUNTEER. I volunteered just as good people volunteer to this very day. Mr. Stark made the comment that those good people who volunteer today do so JUST TO AMUSE A PRESIDENT. They don't. Trust me. I am the third of four generations who have proudly served their country. We would have just as gladly built roads and infrastructure or picked up trash along this nation's highways as carried a rifle to support and further the goals of our Forefathers. One of those generations were drafted. ONLY ONE. I think Stark's comments are SHIT that deserve no other attention than it takes to wipe them off my shoes. What has been important to my family is to serve their country in any capacity asked.

"if we can get enough kids to grow old enough for you to send to Iraq to get their heads blown off for the president's amusement."

In my mind, what he's saying is that people like me, my ancestors, and those who in my family who are already planning to enlist in the future are SO stupid so as NOT TO KNOW what they're stepping into. AS IF.

I'm kind of surprised that no one like me has taken exception to this. I'm no CHICKENHAWK. I'm a Veteran. And I'm pissed about the notion that no one here thinks I'm smarter than what Mr. Stark believes me to be.